I first called this a national emergency speaking at the National Press Club in 2013 with former Chief Commissioner of the Victorian Police, Ken Lay.

Ken asked us to imagine a scenario in which an Australian was murdered every week at a train station.

He said imagine “that each week, someone's brother or sister; mother or father is violently killed getting on or off a train. Now picture the public response. It would be a front-page news story in each of our capital cities."

Kevin was right. We have a muted, different response to gendered violence.

Writer Clementine Ford tweeted if this was about strawberries or farmers -- both sectors which have experienced crises in recent times -- our leaders would be acting.

The COAG Summit was attended by all our nation’s Women’s Safety Ministers, as well as the Minister for Social Security Paul Fletcher. But, without a Prime Minister in the room, or posse of First Ministers, spotlight was off the issue of violence against women.

It is now time for political intervention at the highest level.

The National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children so far has produced important initiatives and an unprecedented collaborative approach to the issues, and ensured violence against women and children is on a national radar.

But we need leadership.

We need our nation’s leaders to step up. Proclaim this a national emergency. Invoke special powers. Release additional funds. Hold emergency debates in parliament. Send messages to our nation about why this is appalling and won’t be tolerated any longer. Pledge to women, and their families, that keeping them free from violence will be a national priority.

Women and children are dying violently, often at the hands of people who have professed to love them.

This is crunch time.

The sector is here ready to do what it always has: work day in and out to keep women and children safe, but we can’t do it anymore without greater political support and resources.